All Blacks hold off gutsy Boks

The ghosts of All Blacks past and the ghosts of Springboks past are probably nodding in wise satisfaction. That's the way it should be. That's the way it should be between New Zealand and South Africa on the rugby field – no quarter asked or given, no excuses and a close score.

This was a close score in terms of points but not really. After all the All Blacks scored two tries to nil, and the Springboks did not look like scoring a try. And into the second half it was only in the scrum that the Springboks were dominant. The All Blacks won everything else, including possession and territory, the line-outs and the mauls which the All Blacks repelled as nobody else has done and the creation of opportunities. Were it not for the resolute, backs-to-the-wall defence of the Springboks the All Blacks would have won handsomely – as they may well do in the Final. One cannot praise South Africa's defensive effort adequately.

As the Twickenham drizzle became rain. the battle in front of the packed stands had little fluidity but gripping intensity, as the nonstop noise in the ground testified to. As it was in 1921, so it is in 2015. So the ghosts of Springboks and All Blacks past would like it to stay that way, that the toast of 1921 would stay "Till we meet again."

And both teams emerge from the fray with honour and pride intact.

The Springboks kicked off and they looked the side with creation and energy as they went left and then right with Willie le Roux looking his old, unpredictable self. Jesse Kriel, who did not get a pass till 49 minutes into last week's match, had a promising break.

This swallow did not hearld a glorious sumer. In fact it died right there.

The first line-out produced the first maul, the first penalty (against Kieran Read) and the first points for the Springboks when Handré Pollard goaled. 3-0 after 2 minutes. It held much promise.

It was a match in which the All Blacks were penalised far more often than the Springboks – 13 times against five, and, as Richie McCaw noted afterwards, it is what kept the Springboks in touch. The Springboks kicked six penalty goals, the All Blacks one – and it could have been seven had a penalty not been reversed because of the dangerous way Victor Matfield entered a tackle situation.

From the kick-off after the penalty the All Blacks put pressure on the Springboks. For the second time Le Roux leapt to take a high kick. But then from a line-out the All Blacks went far left and then came back far right where there were mainly forwards. McCaw floated a pass over Bryan Habana's head to Jerome Kaino who charged down the touchline, brushing off Lood de Jager, to score in the right corner. From touch Daniel Carter converted. 7-3 after 8 minutes.

A second Pollard penalty made it 7-6 two minutes later and then 9-7 after 20 minutes and eventually 12-7 at half-time after Kaino had been penalised and sin-binned for what was seen as an  intentional kicking away of the ball when offside behind a tackle.

That sounds as if not much happened, but that is not true as there was lots of action – and lots of courage.

Five minutes into the second half, from a line-out on the New Zealand right, Carter sent a drop soaring some 32 metres through the rain to get the All Blacks to 12-10 and the All Blacks seemed more energetic as Nehe Milner-Skudder went on a long run and Kaino emerged from purgatory.

Not much later Beauden Barrett came on for Milner-Skudder. Ben Smith went onto the wing, Barrett to fullback. The arrival of Barrett heralded a new All Black tactic to open the Springbok defence – the grubber. Barrett grubbered but Julian Savea knocked on as he bent to pick up the bouncing ball with the goal-line looming. The Springboks then had a scrum about nine metres from their line and the All Blacks put pressure on them. Duane Vermeulen picked up but made little headway. The ball came back to South Africa and Fourie du Preez gave to Schalk Burger to bash it up to make the kicking angle wider. But Kaino tackled Burger and Carter managed to rip the ball from Burger's grasp – shade of the 2011 quarterfinal in the lead-up to James Horwill's try. The All Blacks then bashed on the attack and went left where, two against two, Ma'a Nonu did some clever running to give Barrett an overlap and he surged over in the left corner. Again Carter converted from touch and the All Blacks had the lead back – 17-12 after 52 minutes.

In the action that led to the try Habana had dived to hit the ball from Aaron Smith's grasp and as a result, after the try was scored, the left wing was sent to the sin bin.

At this stage substitutions became more numerous.

Pollard goaled a penalty – 17-15 to New Zealand after 57 minutes and Carter did likewise. 20-15 after 58 minutes.

South Africa had a penalty in their favour but it was reversed when the TMO could show Matfield guilty of foul play. But with 12 minutes to go Patrick Lambie goaled a long penalty after he had taken Pollard's place. 20-18.

The All Blacks had the better of the last 12 minutes, not that the Springboks did not try with might and main.

Man of the Match: For South Africa, Francois Louw  grafted with courage and skill and won turnovers. Handré Pollard scored points and tackled bravely. For New Zealand, Ma'a Nonu was demanding of the defence and 'made' Beauden Barrett's try. Aaron Smith was lively and decisive and Dan Carter was effective, and Sam Whitelock made line-outs and other close-quarter activity difficult for the Springboks but our choice of Man of the Match is Ben Smith for his ability to do both aspects of rugby – defence and attack – so brilliantly.

Moment of the Match: Daniel Carter's drop was of great significance but my Moment of the Match came in the first half when the All Blacks were on a promising attack and Willie le Roux dumped Dane Coles into touch, and then gave his hand to help Coles back to his feet. These two earnest rivals, it seems, have great respect for each other. And after the match there were the two coaches. Heyneke Meyer and Steve Hansen, hugging each other.

Villain of the match: Nobody.

The scorers: 

For New Zealand:

Tries: Kaino, Barrett

Cons: Carter 2

Pen: Carter

DG: Carter

For South Africa:

Pens: Pollard 5, Lambie

Yellow cards: Jerome Kaino (New Zealand, 38 – Cynical infringement) Bryan Habana (South Africa, 52 – Deliberate knock-on)

Teams:

New Zealand: New Zealand: 15 Ben Smith, 14 Nehe Milner-Skudder, 13 Conrad Smith, 12 Ma'a Nonu, 11 Julian Savea, 10 Daniel Carter, 9 Aaron Smith, 8 Kieran Read, 7 Richie McCaw (captain), 6 Jerome Kaino, 5 Samuel Whitelock, 4 Brodie Retallick, 3 Owen Franks, 2 Dane Coles, 1 Joe Moody.

Replacements: 16 Keven Mealamu, 17 Ben Franks, 18 Charlie Faumuina, 19 Victor Vito, 20 Sam Cane, 21 Tawera Kerr-Barlow, 22 Beauden Barrett, 23 Sonny Bill Williams.

South Africa: 15 Willie le Roux, 14 JP Pietersen, 13 Jesse Kriel, 12 Damian De Allende, 11 Bryan Habana, 10 Handré Pollard, 9 Fourie du Preez (captain), 8 Duane Vermeulen, 7 Schalk Burger, 6 Francois Louw, 5 Lodewyk de Jager, 4 Eben Etzebeth, 3 Frans Malherbe, 2 Bismarck du Plessis, 1 Tendai Mtawarira.

Replacements: 16 Adriaan Strauss, 17 Trevor Nyakane, 18 Jannie du Plessis, 19 Victor Matfield, 20 Willem Alberts, 21 Ruan Pienaar, 22 Patrick Lambie, 23 Jan Serfontein.

Referee: Jérôme Garcès (France)

Assistant referees: Romain Poite (France), Johnny Lacey (Ireland)

TMO: George Ayoub (Australia)